Austropuccinia: a new genus name for the myrtle rust Puccinia psidii placed within the redefined family Sphaerophragmiaceae (Pucciniales)

Abstract

The myrtle rust Puccinia psidii originates from South America but is nowadays a very important and invasive pathogen on several genera of Myrtaceae outside of its native area, and especially in Australia, a biodiversity hotspot of Myrtaceae. To date, the taxonomic position of P. psidii has been unclear. The present phylogenetic analyses as well as several former studies show that it does not belong to the genus Puccinia and appears outside of the family Pucciniales. It is, however, closely related to the genera Dasyspora, Puccorchidium, Sphenorchidium and Sphaerophragmium. Consequently, the new genus Austropuccinia has been erected and placed in the newly circumscribed family Sphaerophragmiaceae.